February 9, 1922] 



NATURE 



163 



Elie Metchnikoff. 



Life of Elie Metchnikoff, 1845-1916. By Olga 

 Metchnikoff. Authorised translation from the 

 French. Pp. xxiii+297. (London: Constable 

 and Co., Ltd.^ 1921.) 215. net. 

 N an introductory chapter Madame Metchnikoff 

 relates how, some years ago, one who scarcely 

 aew her husband had asked permission to write 

 biography. Metchnikoff wanted his biography 

 itten, for he held that the story of the evolution 

 mind and character in relation with its en- 

 )nment, if faithfully set down by one knowing 

 comprehending, is always an interesting psycho- 

 [ical document. The idea of the story of his 

 re being related by one who neither knew nor 

 iderstood was, however, repugnant to him. So 

 It came about that Madame Metchnikoff under- 

 took the biography of her husband with his co- 

 operation and on the understanding that the whole 

 was to be told without reservation. The result, as 

 Sir Ray Lankester observes in an appreciative pre- 

 face to the English edition, is " a remarkable and 

 beautiful record of the development and activities 

 f a great discoverer." 



Metchnikoff was born in 184: 



the pro- 



\ ince of Kharkoff, where he was educated 

 first at the lycee and then at the university. The 

 Ivcee is represented as a progressive school, and 

 the sketch of the youthful Metchnikoff and his com- 

 panions affords an interesting glimpse of the intel- 

 lectual awakening of young Russia at this period. 

 Among the books he read at fourteen years of age 

 was Buckle's " History of Civilisation," and we 

 gather from the biography that the idea of the de- 

 pendence of human progress upon science originated 

 from reading that work. This belief became 

 strengthened as he grew older, and ultimately it 

 reached the intensity of a religious faith. At fifteen 

 years of age Metchnikoff abandoned the religion in 

 which he had been brought up, and so ardently 

 preached atheism to his fellow-pupils that he re- 

 ceived the nickname "God is not." Although' he 

 appears to have devoted most of his time at school to 

 reading books on science, religion, and philosophy, 

 he nevertheless passed out from the lycee with the 

 highest honours and entered the university. This 

 is described as a stagnant and reactionary institu- 

 tion. His teachers were uninspiring, and exerted 

 little influence upon him. 



While at the university, however, he read 

 ■' The Origin of Species," which he had 

 l)rought back with him from a visit to Ger- 

 many. Metchnikoff was fascinated by the splen- 

 dour of the horizon it opened, and considered it 

 had more influence upon his later career than 

 NO. 2728, VOL. 109] 



any other book he read. He seems to have planned 

 to devote himself to searching for further support 

 of Darwin's great generalisation. With this object 

 he decided to undertake the study of intermediate 

 types with a view to disclosing the genetic relation- 

 ships between different orders of animals. 



This programme could not be carried out at his 

 own university, so as soon as his undergraduate 

 career was completed he went to Germany. After- 

 wards he removed to Naples, where he met 

 Kowalevsky. Both young men became engaged in 

 a comparative study of the embryology of inverte- 

 brates. Metchnikoff discovered embryonic layers 

 similar to those of vertebrates in Arthropoda and 

 Cephalopoda, thus helping to bridge the gap 

 between the higher and lower animals. 



It was at Giessen in 1865 that intracellular diges- 

 tion by the cells of the alimentary canal of a land- 

 planarian {Geodesmus biltneatus) was observed. It 

 is explained that this was the first time that he 

 had encountered this phenomenon except in protozoa 

 and very simple metazoa. He was much impressed, 

 and afterwards regarded the observation as the basis 

 of his phagocytic theory, although at the time its 

 full significance was not appreciated. 



Returning to Russia full of enthusiasm for 

 science, Metchnikoff was appointed a docent at 

 Odessa, but, finding the university backward and 

 reactionary, he removed to St. Petersburg, where he 

 hoped to find conditions for work more congenial. 

 He was, however, disappointed. There was no 

 laboratory for him to work in, his time was con- 

 sumed by teaching for a subsistence, his eyes became 

 troublesome and his health bad. He was lonely, 

 and during an illness he was nursed by a young 

 lady in the house of a mutual friend. Craving 

 for affection and sympathy, he not unnaturally 

 became engaged to be married. 



Unfortunately, the lady was phthisical and 

 developed alarming symptoms immediately after 

 marriage. The next few years are described as a 

 tragic struggle against disease and poverty. The 

 serious affection of his eyes prevented the use of 

 the microscope, and his young wife's health became 

 so precarious that he was obliged to resign his 

 appointment and take her to Madeira, where she 

 died. 



After his wife's death Metchnikoff started on 

 the return journey to Russia in blank despair, and, 

 seeing no issue to his situation, attempted suicide 

 at Geneva. Fortunately, he took too large a dose 

 of morphia, was violently sick, and recovered. 



On his return to Russia Metchnikoff was ap- 

 pointed to the chair of zoology at Odessa, which he 

 occupied for nine years. He threw himself with 

 enthusiasm into the duties of his post. At Odessa 



